


Fireworks on the Fourth of July (I'm in Love With My Best Guy)

by thequeenwhowaited



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Teenagers, Artist Steve Rogers, Awkward Crush, Awkwardness, Best Friends, Blow Jobs, Bruises, Childhood Friends, Come Swallowing, Coming In Pants, Crushes, Feelings Realization, First Kiss, First Time, Friends to Lovers, Ice Cream, M/M, Piercings, Steve Rogers's Birthday, Tongue Piercings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-05
Updated: 2018-07-05
Packaged: 2019-06-05 13:53:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15172115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thequeenwhowaited/pseuds/thequeenwhowaited
Summary: It's the 4th of July aka Steve’s Birthday and he's spending it locked up in his room??? Not on Bucky’s watch.Ft. Awkward boners, Ice Cream, Firworks, and Feelings.





	Fireworks on the Fourth of July (I'm in Love With My Best Guy)

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this like a year ago for Steve’s Birthday. I never finished it. 
> 
> UNTIL NOW SUCKAS!

It was hard to focus when the hottest guy in the world was climbing into your window. 

Steve was casually glancing out the window… the type of look you get when you know you're supposed to be doing something but your mind disagrees and goes sprinting elsewhere. 

So it was kind of a dumb yet slightly fond expression in his face. 

He started off thinking about the clouds and how it was really a nice July day… perfect for sticky ice cream fingers and the kids down the street breaking the fire hydrant and dancing in the spray to get away from the heat. 

Then it moved on to other things he really didn’t mean to think about but thought anyway…. about how the hottest boy in the world would look like… cooling down in that hydrant... with his white shirt stuck to him like a second skin and that stupid hair flip that he did… maybe that stupid smirk on his face too. 

And then the hottest boy in the world was opening his window, as he had done a million times before, but this time, when that familiar worn leather army boot appeared in his room, it scared the utter shit out of Steve… like he had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar and his face had flushed utterly scarlet in response. 

Steve fumbled with his sketchbook and made sure that his current doodle was hidden from the newcomer’s view. 

From Bucky’s view. 

Cause it was Bucky who was the only one who was dumb enough to climb through his window in the middle of July’s heatwave. 

He could have been in his underwear! 

Not that it mattered if Bucky saw or not… they had seen each other halfway naked a million times before but it- he- Steve already was shoving his foot up his mouth so he decided best to stop that line of thinking before it went barreling down the track. 

“Bucky! You scared the shit outta me!” 

And there it was… that stupid smirk and hair flip.

“Why? You thinkin bout somethin indecent Rogers?” He winked, his silver earring flashing and that stupid smirk plastered all of his face. 

The picture of the cockiness of youth and Steve was shell-shock by how it made his heart skip another painful beat in his chest. 

He rubbed the spot to ease away the pain. 

Steve swallowed down the truth and stammered out a “.... no”

Bucky chuckled and stalked over to the stool that Steve was nervously sitting on… afraid to get up in case Bucky went through his sketches on the desk. 

“Whatcha doing indoors then?” 

Steve was instantly aware of how tall Bucky had gotten over the summer… Stupid growth spurts…. having to crane his neck slightly to look up at him and fumbled the pencil out of his fingers… suddenly super aware of the charcoal that lingered on them… 

“Doodling…” 

Bucky’s eyes were following the motion of Steve’s hands and then snapped up quickly to stare into Steve’s wide blue eyes behind his thick rimmed glasses. 

“Let’s go have some fun then.” Bucky said with with a head jerk to the window. 

He walked back over to the window and straddled the ledge between his legs, motioning for Steve to follow. 

“I-I-I can't Buck.” Steve pushed his glasses so they rested back on his face instead of sliding off his nose.

Bucky became slightly irritated, “Stevie, I'm sorry that I got you grounded last time okay? But, you shouldn't be cooped up in here… especially not today.” 

“I got a sunburn and it hurt for like two weeks!” 

But that sunburn was so worth it to see Bucky in his swimsuit, looking like the sun had kissed him senseless leaving only a golden bronze tan and freckles behind. 

There was an entire sketchbook dedicated to that very image… it had been a long and miserable two weeks. 

Steve cursed his pale complexion that turned him into a sad sack of lobster red and peeling skin. 

Bucky rolled his eyes and smirked again, remembering how red Steve had gotten “Let’s do somethin else then. Something that won't leave you bitching for weeks afterwards” 

He dropped out the window before Steve could say something else in response. 

Steve leaned out the window to see if Bucky was fine… his bedroom was on the second floor after all… but Bucky brushed off the stray leaf like the jump was nothing, straightening out his denim vest and fluffing his hair out yet again. 

“C’mon Stevie! I’ll catch ya!” He held his arms out and boy was that a sight that could make anyone swoon… let alone any already blushing Steven Grant Rogers. 

He braced against the window frame and laughed a short laugh at the ridiculous nature of it all before ducking back inside. 

Damn Bucky’s ability to make Steve want to do anything he suggested with a smirk and a come here expression on his stupid face. 

It was a really good face… but still stupid. 

He changed quickly into a pair of cargo shorts, making sure that the band-aids were still on his scraped knees and pulled on his high tops. 

“I’mma start walking without you Rogers...” Bucky called out, around cupped hands, “I stg, you’re almost as bad as Bec.”

Steve called back,”I’m sorry that I don’t like going out in clothes that I was sleepin in last night.” 

Steve swore he could hear Bucky blushing and flustering and Steve giggled to himself. 

He wiped his charcoal hands on the frame and gingerly stepped onto the slanted roof. 

“C’mon.” Bucky held out his hands again, his face open and full of trust.

Beautiful. 

God… Steve was so in love with him. 

He slipped slightly at that thought, his hold on the frame, the only thing keeping him from sliding off the roof. 

“You okay?” 

Steve waved him off with a hand and planted his feet better. “You gonna catch me right?” 

“O’course.” 

And he jumped. 

Terribly. 

He was a mess of limbs and Bucky did his best to catch him, falling backwards on his ass onto the immaculate lawn in response. 

“Ow.” Bucky rubbed the back of his head where his undercut started, sitting up slightly to look at the 90 lb boy on top of him “You okay?” 

Steve was mortified at how close they were and got up quickly, the tangled nature of their legs causing him to fall back on top of Bucky, knocking the wind outta him. 

“Je-sus. Thank God, you’re only 90 lbs Steve or else that would actually hurt.” 

Steve was mortified…. Again.

How was it possible to be this flustered over one boy? 

Bucky was just a boy. 

That was a lie. 

Bucky was…. Everything

The first thing he thought about in the morning to the invasion of his dreams at night. Steve was completely head over heels… obsessed… enamored… it felt like every particle of his being was attracted and magnetized to Bucky and nothing but Bucky and sometimes it scared him how much and how intense his feelings were. 

And Steve didn’t know when that happened…

When Bucky stopped being his best friend to being his world…

That was a terrifying thought… but then Steve realized that he was still laying on Bucky’s chest and looking into his shocked blue eyes. 

Steve hide his embarrassment by patting Bucky’s chest and getting up carefully to a kneeling position, not having any faith in his brain to say anything coherent at this moment or his legs to hold him up “Thanks for the catch, stud.” 

Bucky laid there for a moment, collapsing his arms to lay absolutely flat to look at Steve, his hands gripping tightly at the grass and dirt.

“You’re welcome.” 

Steve wiped his glasses on his shirt so his hands could be occupied with something other than making a fool out of himself. 

This is what happened when you were crushing on the hottest boy in the world…. Sometimes a bit of that crush feelings get leaked out of you and makes your heart beat fast and your face flushed and… . A mess

Steven Grant Rogers was a goddamn mess. 

Ofc he couldn’t have a normal crush on a normal person like that new girl Peggy or Sam… Sam was cute. 

But they weren’t Bucky. 

He had to get a crush on Bucky Barnes… the coolest punk he had ever met in his now 17 years of life and that crush was completely eating him up inside. 

Bucky waved his hand in front of Steve, the other grasped on his shoulder… the coolness of the metal ring biting into his exposed shoulder, “You okay bud?” 

Steve shook his head slightly and waved him off, stumbling to walk as the blood rushed back to his legs. 

“Yeah, I'mgoodI’mgood” 

Bucky coughed a bit and hmm’d, letting his legs fall open a bit and then jumping to his feet a second later. 

“Let’s go then.” 

Bucky walked with the stride of a man who had nothing else better to do, his hands stuck in his pockets and whistling a tune he didn’t know the words to. 

Steve was a nervous wreck and the mood between them suffered because of it… He didn’t know where to put his hands and he could feel the sweat building in his palms. 

God, why was he so awkward? 

This was just another walk on just another day with best friend….

Who he had a terrible, awful, soul consuming crush on. 

He sighed. 

And then tripped on nothing.

Bucky had managed to catch his upper arm before he ate shit but it was just another one on the list of embarrassing things that happened today. 

It was getting to be a long list. 

“You sure are clumsier than normal, pal.” 

Steve laughed nervously and kicked his too big shoes to fit better. He must not have tied them correctly when he slipped them on. 

“Just watch where ya going.” Bucky rubbed his knuckle on top of his head, “Don’t wanna lose anymore brain cells.” 

He laughed as Steve punched him in the shoulder. 

“I wasn’t the one who charmed his way out of his mandatory summer school after nearly failing Advanced Geometry!” 

“I ain’t the one who's actually going to summer school when he DOESN’T NEED TO ” Bucky said with a scoff, “Why would you voluntarily choose to stay indoor for the entire summer? Confuses the shit outta me Rogers. Beautiful day like this and you want to spend it locked up at school? Blasphemous.”

Steve crossed his arms “Ms. Hill said that taking Figure Study over the summer would boost my portfolio!” 

“I know.”Bucky said softly, knowing when to stop pushing at Steve’s buttons “I know! Which is why you can't lose anymore of those three brain cells of yours! Gotta celebrate the summer before it’s over Steve.”

Steve huffed out a breath, “When you ask me to help you with formulas again, I ain't gonna.” 

Bucky leaned forward, dramatically using all his recently gained height and weight difference to crush Steve,”Aww, Stevie, do I havta tell your Ma that you’re being mean to me?”

He huffed,“Blackmail won't get you anywhere Mr. Barnes.”

Bucky leaned forward and whispered into his non-hearing aid ear, “A boy can try.”

Steve tried to hold back the full body shudder as he pushed Bucky off, laughing off his nervousness but completely dying in the inside. 

“I don’t know what to do with you, I swear.” 

Bucky laced his fingers behind his head, pleased as punch that he had gotten Steve to laugh. “Start by not straining those brains cells of yours and enjoy your summer.”

Steve let out a sound of outrage,” What’s that suppose ta mean?” 

Bucky just smiled and walked further, causing Steve to jog slightly to keep up with that stride. 

“Whydja have to grow so tall, Buck?”

“Whydja have to stay so small, Stevie?” 

“I swear-” 

“With you swearing so much, I really should tell your Ma.” Bucky said, grinning again. 

“Oh shut up, you’re the worst.” 

“Nah. Ya l- me. -se I ve yo-”

Steve stopped in his tracks, fiddling with his hearing aid, he swore he had just changed the batteries in it but maybe they had gotten loose during his elegant fall. 

Bucky stopped too, a mix of intriguing curiosity and sadness painted on his face though Steve didn’t see it. 

“Stupid thing fizzed out for a second. Couldn’t hear you.” 

“S’Okay pal, I know how it is.” Bucky looked down at his boots, not wanting to give his emotions away. 

Steve tinkered with it further before placing it back in his ear, “That’s better. I think I need to adjust the batteries when I get home or somethin. What were you sayin?”

Bucky smiled a small, soft smile. 

He then walked back to Steve like he was a scared animal, which was true, because Steve was currently shitting his pants at how serious Bucky looked. 

Bucky was now holding his face gently and Steve swore he was either in a dream or in some weird alternate reality because damn he was close not that they haven't been close before… years of being best friends had done that but this was closer than best friend close and omg Bucky Barnes was kissing him. 

James Buchanan Barnes was kissing him like his life depended on it and Steve felt like the entire goddamn world was slowing down yet magnified at the time and omg is that a piercing???????

Bucky smelt like grass and leather and his deodorant… that driftwood smelling spray on stuff that left him smelling like the ocean all damn day long. 

But he tasted like…. Strawberries… the overripe kind that are a little too sweet on the edges… Steve didn’t realize it earlier but his mouth was stained a little because of that. 

Steve felt his glasses dig uncomfortably into his face… not believing in the slightest that this was happening right now. 

They broke apart with Steve still frozen in place and Bucky unable to look him in the eyes. Blush high on those perfect cheekbones of his. 

“m’sorry. I’ll boost you back to your window if you want.” He said softly, slurring his words that were drunk off of this long awaited kiss, not wanting to face the rejection he thought was coming on Steve’s face. 

Steve swallowed a few times, still shocked and his hands hovering inches away from Bucky shirt still magnetized to the closeness of his body. “wait… wh-what?”

Bucky looked at him crossly,” I’m going to take you home.”

And started marching back to the direction of Steve’s house. 

“Bucky wait! Why?”

“Because-because.” 

Steve gently pulled him back and gulped to see how wild Bucky looked with his hair everywhere and his eyes seeming to hold electricity itself. 

He was a gorgeous wild thing. 

And Steve decided he wanted to kiss him again. 

This time it was like kissing lighting trapped in a body, leaving a tingle up and down his body. But Steve was so inexperienced that it wasn't nearly as great as the first one… just different. 

It lasted for a solid second or so before Bucky pushed him away and Steve voiced his irritation at the loss. 

“Steve. Stop.” Bucky said fiercely, “You don’t have to… kiss me… or whatever because you think It’ll make me feel better or something. I'm tough. I can handle it. ”

“But I want to.” Steve said slowly, staring directly at eyes that didn’t dare to look back at him, “I want to kiss you.” 

Bucky looked at him like his heart was breaking. 

“You’re just… you’re too nice.” 

That pissed Steve off to the moon and back, here he was two kisses in and the stupid boy thought he was being nice. 

Like those kisses weren’t the best entire fucking thing in his life… like they weren't all he wanted since he first thought about Bucky in *that* way… like he could feel anything else but love for Bucky. 

“You stupid idiot.” 

Bucky flinched at the words. 

“You think I just- Goddammit, I just- fucking- ughhhhh- I like you okay! I liked you ever since we were kids… maybe sooner I dunno... I just- I didn't want to say nuthing cause you’re you and I'm… well….me and-”

Bucky’s shocked face stopped Steve from blabbing about the history of his stupid crush on this stupid boy so he blushed instead. 

“Steve-” Bucky said slowly. 

“No. NO! Because some idiot thinks that I just go around kissing people and I just-” 

Bucky had grabbed his wrist and kissed his pulse point. 

Steve was shocked into silence and he felt all of his anger leak out of him like a deflating balloon. 

Bucky smiled at the pause and looked up at Steve with wonder and fondness and adoration all into one. 

It was like an ice wall of indifference and careful secrecy had melted away and this other Bucky came to bobbing to surface… filled with uncharted emotions that Steve had never seen before written all over his face. 

Steve narrowed his eyes in suspicion and was about to continue before Bucky stopped him with another kiss, this time on his shoulder joint, just where the fabric of his tank top started. 

“Don’t think you can just-” 

Another kiss, this time right on his jaw, right where his hearing aid ended. 

Steve shuddered. “Goddammit you-”

Bucky had kissed him again and Steve welcomed it, sinking into his arms and just melting into the feeling of rightness. 

Bucky pulled back to look at the pile of ooze formerly known as Steve. 

“You like me.” 

“You like me too you goob.”

“I’m a goob?”

“Yes, you’re a goob.” 

“Steve?” 

“Ya”

“I’m sorry.” 

“Hmm?”

“We could have been one of those gross couples who kisses all the time a heck of a lot sooner” 

Steve looked up at him with hooded eyes, lacing his fingers to drag Bucky down, “You need to make it up to me then.” 

God that felt good, Bucky’s lips on his and the feeling of warm fuzziness that burned from the inside stronger than that sunburn had ever made him feel.

“Steve?”

“Hmm?” 

His fingers had a mind of their own and they had climbed up inside of Bucky’s shirt. 

Steve looked down at them like they were moving of their own volition. He let go with a gasp, still beat red. 

Bucky just chuckled, lacing their fingers together, continuing to walk to their destination. 

“When did you-?” Steve asked, curious but at the same time, not wanting to know. 

“Five seconds after we first met. You remember when you stood up for me being the new kid and slugged that guy Michael Greier in the nose and completely busted it bloody and then his stupid friends started to jump you? Right then. Right there. Completely smitten.”

“Buck, that was like 8 years ago…. Are you telling me…. That for 8 years… you’ve been-”

“Yup.” He said shyly, hiding his blush with his other hand. “Completely in love with you since then. You gotta understand that anyone who would bust someone nose for me is high crush material for a 9 year old” 

Steve was in awe of that bit of information… it was like all of their time together took on this new meaning that Steve needed to look critically at. 

“You okay?” Bucky nudged him in the shoulder. “You look like your head is about to explode.” 

“8 years.” Steve softly held Bucky’s hand a little tighter…. Steve could barely keep it together for the past four years or so… let alone eight… eight seemed like a lifetime. “God, it must have been horrible… I'm so sorry”. 

“Thanks for finally noticing.” Bucky said with a smirk.

“I just wanted to be with you… it didn't matter if it meant being your best friend… I love being around you in your element… and seeing you be weird and funny and charming and passionate and amazing... that was enough.” Bucky said with a smile, “And when it wasn’t enough…” 

He wiggled his right hand and Steve looked disgusted… even though he had done practically the same thing. 

“Why did you- why did you kiss me?” 

Bucky swung their joined hands together, memorizing the weight of it, “I wasn't satisfied with ‘enough’ anymore.” 

Bucky openly stared at Steve, eyes slowly scanning up and down his body, “I wanted more.”

Steve flushed furiously, if he wasn't permanently red by now… He was going to be. “If I knew you wanted this…” 

Bucky sighed, “I didn’t want you to know… I didn't want to be that best friend that stupidly ruins everything by having unrequited feelings… I wanted to keep you and if they meant risking our friendship… I would rather hide all of my feelings than say anything.” 

“I loved you since you put that Valentine in my box.” Steve says out of the blue. “That was you right? The ninja turtle one? From my secret admirer?” 

“You got me.” Bucky said with a shrug, “I couldn't be 100% hiding my feelings all the time… I figured you’d think it would be someone else.” 

“I’d recognize your chicken scratch anywhere.” 

“The ninja turtles worked though didn’t it… totally got you to be my Valentine… especially over Lisa Orkalsky. She had a huge crush on you btw.”

“Did she?” Steve furrowed his brow, thinking back to the seventh grade. “ I mean, she was nice to me but I don't think she had a crush on Me.” 

“I didn’t think anyone did” Steve looked down the road ahead of them, quiet for a moment to feel all of his emotions at once. 

Bucky just kissed the side of his face. “You got me...” 

“Til the end of the line.” 

“God you're such a dweeb… no more late night Sci-fi marathons.” Steve said to defuse some of that nervous energy he was experiencing under Bucky’s singular attention. 

It was a lot to go from friends to… more than that… in less than twenty minutes. Steve needed a moment to feel something other than what felt like two waves crashing into each other.   
It was a good feeling but it was also intense. 

“I mean… it's true.” Bucky said, “But it was one of your romantic comedies you left on the DVR instead.” 

“You watched Love Me Twice without me???” Steve said outraged, “How? WHEN?”

“Sarah let me in over two hours ago.” Bucky said sheepishly. 

“Then why did you climb through my window and scare me, you asshole.” 

“Some may call it unnecessary… excessive even... but I thought it would be romantic!” Bucky responded with a shrug, “Plus I knew you had homework that you needed to finish. .. and you wouldn't go anywhere unless you finished it first… so I thought… hey what's on Steve’s DVR. Sarah was watching those med dramas again and curses about how inaccurate they were… so she let me watch the movie instead.” 

Steve just scowled instead, “Traitors… the whole lot of you… in my own home and everything!” 

“Don’t be like that Steve,” Bucky said with a pout, Steve could feel that damn smirk two inches away from his face. “We’re here.” 

It was one of those ice cream trucks. Painted in stripes of red, white, and blue with a giant ice cream cone on top. 

Steve thought it was adorable like always. 

Bucky came up to the counter, taking out a ten from his back pocket and slapping it on the counter. “Two Firecrackers please.” 

If there was one thing Sam Wilson did not like, it was Bucky Barnes thinking he could boss him around. 

Damn white boy with his cocky attitude. Sam wondered what Steve saw in the bastard. 

Sam looked out of the register window past Bucky to look at Steve standing behind him. Steve, who was blushing something fierce and playing with his hands, who couldn’t look Sam in the eyes. 

Oh. 

Sam grinned, bracing his arms against the counter, completely ignoring Bucky, “Hey, Steve, what's up man?” 

“Hey-Hey Sam” 

“Great day for ice cream…” Sam said slowly, “You want some? It's kinda been a slow day so I'm sure I can spare one for you” 

“Hey, what about me asshole?!?!?” Bucky cried out, waving his money. “I’m a paying customer!” 

“Maybe one for your mom too? I know she likes the strawberry shortcake one right?” Sam said continuing as if he still couldn't hear Bucky. 

“She got the late shift tonight.” Steve laughed a little, “But that’s a bad business policy Sam.” 

“Hey, I only give ice cream out to the cute ones on their birthday.” He replied with a laugh. 

Bucky cleared his throat, delivering another cheeky grin. “So you’ll give us some for free then?” 

Sam just stared at him slowly without blinking and with an insane amount of disinterest. 

Bucky felt a chill go down his back, “So… no… then?” 

Sam rolled his eyes and dramatically sighed, pushing himself off the counter to address Bucky. “What do you want Barnes?” 

“Great to finally get some service around here” Bucky said with a flourish. “Your finest ice cream for your favorite guys.” 

Sam just turned his back and rolled his eyes, mumbling “I’ll show you service, asshole.” 

He got to work, scooping different flavors into a red waffle shaped in a taco shell, flourishing it with star shaped candy, chocolate dipped strawberry pocky sticks. 

Sam presented it with a flourish, chewing on a spare pocky, “One Stars and Stripes for my favorite customer.” 

Steve tiptoed to over counter to see it properly? Qstars in his eyes, “Is this a new one!?!?!” 

“Yup! Blueberry, French Vanilla, and Strawberry. Crowned with White Chocolate Stars, white chocolate dipped strawberries and Strawberry Pocky Sticks. Flash frozen with a dash of nitrogen and edible glitter!” 

“You spoil me Sammy.” Steve said with a grin that was as wide as his face. 

Sam felt his heart clench a little at the cuteness. “Happy Birthday, Steve.” 

Steve had forgotten that it was his birthday… too occupied with his portfolio deadline to remember… He blushed a little, taking the ice cream carefully with both hands, “Thanks, Sam.” 

Sam and Bucky both sighed softly as Steve went to one of the few chairs to enjoy his treat. 

“You ruin that and I ruin your Face Barnes…” 

“Wha- I didn't even!” Bucky cried out indignantly. 

“It’s all over your face.” Sam said with a huff, “Plus you two were making goo-goo eyes and holding hands like you needed it to survive the entire way over here. And Steve is permanently red now.” 

They looked over to see Steve blushing happily into his ice cream, sucking around the spoon. 

Bucky practically melted and it wasn’t because of the heat. 

“Steve is a good kid.” Sam said, handing over a stack of napkins and Bucky’s Firecracker popsicle. “You’re a… good kid too. The best advice I can give you is be clear and honest about all of your intentions. Less teen angst and more communication, you hear me Judd Nelson?” 

Bucky looked at him with honesty written all over his face, “Sam, I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing… but I guess that’s what relationships are supposed to be...thanks man.” 

Sam shook his head, They’d be alright. 

Bucky took some soft licks from the popsicle as he made his way over to Steve to keep it from dripping all over his hands. He was completely honest back there…. Confessing his feelings… Though scary… was the easy part of this whole mess… He didn’t know how to “relationship”. Let alone relationship with Steve…. Who was perfect and wonderful and Bucky was totally in over his head wasn’t he? Oh god, this was a mistake. 

And then Steve looked up at him above his stupidly thick frames and with that damn white plastic spoon in his mouth. 

Oh, that made it all worth it. 

Sure this relationship was going to be difficult but it was them… They’d get through anything. 

Bucky sat on the other stool and dragged Steve’s chair so it was closer to him. “Hey there, handsome, this seat taken~”

Steve smirked around his spoon, releasing it with a pop. 

It was hard for Bucky to look anywhere else but those lips that were now stained slightly red from his ice cream. 

“Well, I was saving it for my…. uh… my boyfriend but-” Steve replied, fluttering his long lashes only blushing and stuttering a little bit over the boyfriend. “I can spare a seat for you, handsome stranger” 

Bucky smiled fully, grabbing Steve’s spoon, “Gimme some ice cream, you cheating punk. Honestly, I can't take you anywhere!” 

Steve laughed, offering his ice cream as compensation but then blushed as Bucky flashed his tongue piercing while sucking on the spoon. 

They had shared food a million times before but the way Bucky was sucking and linking on that spoon should be illegal. 

He coughed. 

Bucky knew what he was doing but feigned interest, “You okay there?” 

Steve crossed his arms and looked away from Bucky, blush permanently plastered all over his face, mumbling to himself. 

“What was that?”

“You’re a jerk James.” 

Bucky scrunched up nose at his real name, “You can have some of mine too if you want… You don't gotta be cross at me for having a little fun.” 

“Oh, is that how it is?” Steve said, challenge already rising within him. 

He grabbed the slowly melting popsicle from Bucky’s hand, kitten licking it to keep it from melting further. 

He then held Bucky’s hand that was covered in melted ice cream and began to lick it off slowly while maintaining eye contact the entire time. Steve placed tiny kisses along the way, licking in between the webbing on his fingers, tasting that metal from those rings of his, and sucking the tips of his fingers before letting go with a smirk on his face. 

Bucky was flabbergasted, completely missing his mouth with the spoon. His blush was spreading across his cheekbones and those freckles of his stood out adorably. 

“Ste- Steve.” His voice cracked, “I had napkins!” 

“You don’t gotta be cross at me for having a little fun” Steve said, trying to imitate Bucky’s accent and everything. 

“You’re killing me sweetheart.” Bucky said, dramatically collapsing on his chair, clutching his heart. 

Steve looked away, blushing yet again. How did he ever keep this crush a secret? It was like he was a million times more sensitive now that they had confessed. He fanned himself to try to cool down. 

Bucky knocked his foot with Steve. Steve looked at him in shock. Bucky raised his eyebrows and nodded upwards slightly. Steve just smiled and nodded in return. 

It was only this morning that they were still only best friends and Steve was hopelessly pinning in his bedroom. 

It would take some getting used to but it wasn’t a bad thing… their bond felt electrified now like every hair on his arm was standing on edge and Steve was drawn impossibly closer to Bucky. 

He took a bite of the ice cream taco, feeling the ice cream melt down his face. 

It was really good and he let out a satisfied moan. 

Bucky just stared at him. 

Steve raised his eyebrows at him but Bucky just lurched forward and licked his face clean. 

Steve recoiled a bit, “Bucky! That's so unsanitary! You have napkins!”

“But it tastes sweeter like that.” Bucky said with a smirk. 

Goddamn that smirk. 

Steve huffed and gathered his trash, biting a piece of Bucky’s popsicle in retaliation as he went pass. 

“Hey!” Bucky cried out. 

“I love you.” Steve replied sincerely. 

God. Bucky just melted like the rest of his ice cream. He was so damn lucky. 

“I love you too.” 

Steve blushed again. Turning around to give himself a breather. 

“Ready to go home?” Bucky said, knocking into Steve to get him to move, sucking on the popsicle stick. 

“Yeah, that would be good idea. Yeah.” Steve rambled nervously, waving bye to Sam. 

They started walking back in silence… both of their minds buzzing with nervous energy. 

Bucky decided to brashly break through it, “Steve?” 

“Yeah Buck?” 

“We don't-” 

Steve stopped to look at him… Bucky looked like he had swallowed a lemon. 

“We don't have to do- I mean-” He scrubbed his hand through his hair, “I don’t want you to do anything you don't want to do.” 

“Good. Because I never do what... I don't want to do.” Steve replied, easily. 

“No, I mean. Umm.. The relationship stuff.” Bucky said shoving his hands in his pocket, “I don’t wanna pressure you or nuthing.” 

Steve smiled sweetly, rubbing Bucky’s cheek with his thumb, “You going sweet on me Barnes.” 

“Always sweet on you.” He mumbled, nuzzling into Steve’s hand. 

Steve laughed a little. 

“Then let's be us.” Steve said with some finality, “Just maybe with some kissing and more hand holding okay?.” 

“Maybe… more than kissing?” Bucky said slowly, giving Steve his signature puppy eyes. 

Steve rolled his eyes but he was still smiling, “May-be. It is my birthday after all.” 

Bucky’s eyes widened and he started patting his pockets. “Oh fuck” 

“Oh fuck what?” Steve said. 

“I lost your gift.” Bucky said, fear in his eyes. 

“Okay.” Steve said with a shrug and a laugh, “I feel like I got a better one already.” 

Bucky tightened his lips together. It was a good line and he told him so. “This is not the time for your adorableness Steve!” 

“Maybe it fell in the grass?” Steve asked. “That or my room?” 

They rushed home a bit faster. It was already getting to be the early stages of sunset. 

The neighbors were already starting to come out and set up their lawn chairs for the fireworks show. A few waved to the boys as they passed. 

Bucky immediately honed in on the grass, combing through it slowly. Steve helped him by looking in the opposite direction. 

He had been carrying the damn thing for years… it was his fault that he didn't notice it missing sooner. 

He groaned in frustration, going faster, it should be really easy to spot because it was….

“Oh.” Steve said softly, holding it up to the sunset light. “Bucky… it's beautiful.” 

It was a ring… similar to the metal band ones that Bucky wore all the time but this one had a star cut out of it in the middle of the band. 

He immediately tried it on his left hand and it fit perfectly. 

Bucky made this distressed sound over Steve finally wearing his ring and Steve looked over at him with a smirk. “Little forward don't ya think?” 

He had bought that ring years ago… maybe a couple of months after he finally realized what his feelings for Steve really were… it had cost a couple of allowances and car wash money but Bucky knew that Steve would love it even back then. 

The ring had been a permanent fixture in his life since… stuck in his pocket so he could rub against it like some sort of good luck charm. There had been many times where he almost gave it to Steve. But the feeling wasn’t just right yet… Not until rn. 

“I can take it back if you don't want it” Bucky said with a huff.

“Don’t be a jerk.” Steve said in response, admiring the way it caught the sunset light on his finger, “I love it.” 

“There’s an inscription on the inside too” Bucky said with a mumble… secretly pleased that Steve loved it. 

Steve took it off to squint at it…it said,   
“Yours Always, B” 

Steve smiled at Bucky, knocking into him to avoid getting all misty, “Thank you”

Bucky knocked back, “Happy Birthday.” 

Steve kissed his cheek. 

They both jumped at the sound of the first firework… too caught up in looking in each others eyes. 

Steve laughed, holding Bucky’s hand with his new ring in place. 

Bucky laid down on the lawn and dragged Steve down next to him but Steve somehow managed to elbow Bucky in the sternum while trying to lay down. 

“OOF...You’re really heavy Steve.” 

“Shut up and watch the fireworks.” He said, blushing in response. 

And they did… 

For the most part. 

It was kinda hard to focus on the fireworks while Steve was laying on the hottest boy in the world and not kissing him senseless. 

Tragedy really. 

After a whole lot of making out, Steve was content to lay on Bucky’s chest and hear the sound of his heart beating away. 

He could only imagine his own irregular heartbeat matching it and it made him happy. 

Weird how such a small thing could bring so much happiness. 

He could see his new ring… it was worned out a little and he could feel the edges of the star with his thumb… He knew Bucky had been carrying this around for a while. 

He sighed happily, snuggling into Bucky’s chest.

Bucky himself was trying but failing to maintain any sort of control. He was literally vibrating with the need to be as close as possible to Steve as he could. 

He wanted Steve so badly that he stared into the sky full of fireworks like they had personally offended him… knowing that Steve would not move until the last one had burst. 

He snuck a peek at Steve with the fireworks reflecting in his glasses and the soft glow that came from the porch light casting over him. 

Bucky never imagined that this would be his world.   
Never imagined that he could have Steve nestled on his chest or that his hair looked like spun gold from this angle   
That he could make out with Steve for almost an hour… his lips bruised and wanting more of that leftover sugary taste. 

He could be patient for a few more fireworks. 

There was that awkward pause when the last firework had gone off… leaving the neighborhood with this sense of hope and a sleepiness in their bones. 

But Bucky was wide awake. 

Somehow Steve had fallen asleep on him. 

Bucky didn’t want to wake him but his right arm was getting numb and they were both getting bitten by the bugs. 

Besides he had other plans. 

“Steve? Wake up buddy.” Bucky said, shaking him slightly. “We gotta go inside now.” 

Steve just mumbled and snuggled further into Bucky’s chest. 

“C’mon Stevie.” Bucky said, shaking harder, “OR I won't give you your second gift.” 

He whispered into Steve’s good ear, “And it would be more comfortable on a bed then your front lawn.” 

Steve was suddenly wide awake, “Oh?” 

“C’mon.” 

Bucky got up, dragging Steve with him into his house. He figured it would be safer than trying to scale the building in the dark, especially with a sleepy Steve. 

Sarah had go to work, seeing and waving bye to the boys hours ago. Apologetic to the fact that she had to work on Steve’s birthday but happy that he was spending it with Bucky. 

Bucky led a sleepy Steve up the stairs, carefully trying to avoid tripping as they went. 

It was cute to see Steve cling onto him, rubbing his eyes and yawning a bit. A surge of protection weld up in Bucky whenever he felt like Steve genuinely relied on him for guidance or protection. It made Bucky feel like he was worth a little bit more than a grain of salt… to see value in someone else's eyes- Steve’s eyes. There was something beautiful in that… and his heart just ached. 

Oh he was a lucky sonuvabitch. 

“C’mon Sleeping Beauty-” 

“Maybe if you kissed me I could wake up?” Steve said, using those damn blue green eyes of his. “Y’know cause I'm Sleepin’ Beauty and all.”

Bucky rolled his eyes, giving Steve a peck on the cheek. 

Steve pouted. 

Bucky laughed, rubbing the inside of Steve’s wrist fondly. “Let me take you to bed first.” 

Steve’s eyes widened in a panic, remembering some very discriminating evidence all over his room in less then hidden places that he didn't quite want to share with Bucky just yet. 

He darted forward, wide awake, stopping Bucky by sneaking his small frame between Bucky’s arm and the door “Maybe. May-be not quite yet???” 

“Steve, I’ve already seen your porn collection-” Bucky said to Steve’s squawk of indignation. 

“Unless-” Bucky looked at him closely, taking in the flush and the slight sheen on his forehead. He leaned forward slightly, tipping Steve’s chin up so he could look in his eyes, “Unless you don't want to-” 

Steve blushed again, “Buck-” 

“No Steve.” Bucky said firmly, “I’m not going to make you do anything you don't wanna, ya hear me?” 

“Of course!” Steve said placing his hands on Bucky’s chest, “I know you would never- I just-” 

He looked away, remembering all of the things on his room with sudden detail. 

“You trust me?” Bucky said, slowly stroking Steve’s cheekbone. 

Steve leaned into the touch and the closeness they were sharing, “I trust you.” 

“Then show me?” Bucky said softly, trying to take in Steve’s reaction. 

Steve saw nothing but openness and trust in Bucky’s face… there would be no judgement. After the internal battle, Steve groaned, slamming his head back into the door of his room. 

“Don’t say I didn't warn you.” 

“Steve. How bad could it possibly-” 

Steve just gave him a look. 

☆

“Oh… Stevie.” 

Bucky was sitting on the bed while Steve was pacing a hole through the carpet. 

“Don’t-” Steve just flailed his arms aimlessly, continuing to walk back and forth, his face blushing. “Just Don’t-”

Bucky looked down instead, staring in awe of what Steve had revealed to him. 

It was a secret portfolio. 

Filled to the brim… across many years… each one a loving rendition in a variety of mediums but mostly charcoal… 

Of Bucky. 

Bucky smiling and lying in the grass and his eyebrows furrowed and this page was filled with nothing but his hands and this was a full body pose and that time they went to the beach and this was that God awful haircut his Ma had given him that one year… some of them were just this side of tasteful… and it included some of the recent pictures Steve had worked on this morning… with his easy smile and slick-back hair. 

And all of it was loving placed in this portfolio the size of his lap. 

It was both humbling and ego-inflating at the same time. 

“Say Rogers,” Bucky said slowly, with that Cheshire cat grin of his, “You wouldn't happen to have a crush on me would you?” 

Steve just groaned, covering his face with his hands, “SEE! This is why- this is why I didn't want you to-” 

“Steve. Stop.” Bucky said, “These are-” 

“Weird? Stalkerish? Terrible? Burn Them as Soon as Possible?” 

“Hot as fuck actually.” Bucky said, looking Steve up and down with intent. 

Steve just stared at him. 

Bucky gave a little shrug, still smiling, “Seeing how you see me… hot as hell. I mean yeah the volume of it is a little disconcerting but damn Rogers, this is- turning me on in all sorts of ways.” 

“You're making fun of me.” Steve said, firmly, hugging himself “I should have never shown you in the first place.” 

Bucky raised his eyebrows at Steve’s accusations and lifted the portfolio off of his lap. 

Steve glanced down and then quickly shot his eyes back to Bucky who was still grinning but impossibly wider now. 

“Not making fun of you.” Bucky said, humbling himself, “Steve. These are beautiful. All of them. I’m so happy you're showing me these... In more ways than one.”

Steve slapped his arm. 

“Ow.” Bucky said without any merit behind it. “I’m serious Stevie.” 

He slowly traced his own jawline on the page in front of him, “These are- amazing…” 

He could feel the love leaking through these pages and he was taken aback about how much it was. 

It was like staring down at the ocean with waves that were high enough to topple skyscrapers and being helpless to do anything about it. 

Except he welcomed this love with open arms and was begging to be taken under by its sure power and magnitude

Steve stared at him unblinking, his eyes glazing over until tears started to slowly fall. He jumped over to Bucky, carefully moving the portfolio to the side and hugged him as tightly as his thin arms would allow him to. 

Bucky was unsure of where to put his hands at first but then he held Steve tight, whispering reassurances in his ear, “Shh. Shhhhh. It’s okay. It’s okay. You’d think I’d be offended by some pretty pictures of this ugly mug? No. It's gonna take more than that to scare me away, okay sweetheart?” 

Steve curled closer into Bucky, not trusting his voice to say things but needing to say them otherwise, “You-you really aren't...disgusted by them? They’re a little- out there.” 

Bucky tucked a strand of hair behind his ear, “No. Steve. They're beautiful. You're beautiful.” 

Steve then realized that he was lying on Bucky and he looked up to see Bucky’s face which was nothing but trust and openness. 

He pouted. Feeling stupid that he had worried all this time for nothing and swiping at the tears that had clumped his lashes together. 

“You made me cry on my birthday.” Steve said matter-of-factly. 

“Maybe I can fix that for you.” Bucky said, staring at his lips and licking his own… eager to taste that strawberry sweetness between them. 

He wasn’t lying bout the pictures. They really were turning him on to think that those blue eyes were observing him. 

They met in the middle but Bucky took the lead gorging himself on the taste of Steve lingering just beyond his reach. 

It was amazing to hear Steve’s hitch of breath between kisses like he was surprised they were happening. 

Bucky took control easily, threading his hand through Steve’s hair and nipping his way down that no longer pale neck while Steve was making these soft little ohs and mmms thrusting slightly upwards against his thigh. 

“Mmm. Buck-”

Bucky broke off from a particularly deep hickey, “Yeah baby? That feel good having me mark up that neck of yours….I wanna hear you nice and loud okay?” 

“Bucky I want-I want.” 

“I know baby, I'm going to give it to you… Just be patient for me okay?” 

It was amazing that Bucky was even coherently vocal right now. Here he was, lap full of of a moaning Steve that he thoroughly was ravishing.   
He flipped them so Steve landed on the pillows, staring up in wonder and love at Bucky like he was those fireworks in the night sky. 

Bucky made a wounded sound, quickly peeling himself out of his shirt… not even bothering to take his pants off… too eager to touch Steve and making Steve do the same, those damn artist fingers roaming around while he took off his shirt and shorts. 

Once they were relatively free from clothing, Bucky went back to ravishing Steve, only this time, he licked at his nipples, blowing on them slightly to watch them pebble… squeezing and rolling them between his fingertips. 

Steve nearly shot off the bed, arching painfully into Bucky’s touch, a litany of curses streaming out of his mouth. “OH OH OH godDAMN. Fuck FUC- That feels sooo-” 

His eyes were rolling back as Bucky continued to suck his way down to Steve’s hip bones, ignoring his dick for a second to bite down. “You’re just so sensitive Stevie. Love the way you just-” 

He tentatively gave Steve’s dick a couple of licks just like he had done that popsicle beforehand… Steve finally felt that piercing Bucky liked to flash all the damn time. 

And it felt Ammmmaazzzinggg. 

Steve’s hip nearly shot off the bed this time as he sought out Bucky’s warm and perfect mouth. “Ughhhhhh” 

“You taste so good baby.” Bucky said in-between moans… “My perfect baby tasting so good and sweet.” 

In reality, Steve tasted salty from the pre-cum to the sweat from the day…. But there was something underneath that was perfectly Steve and Bucky wanted more. 

Steve covered his face with the crook of his elbow… He knew that Bucky was a sweet talker but this was borderline embarrassing… even more so that he liked it. 

He huffed out his frustration but thrust forward… unable to deny himself the rightness of Bucky’s hand on his dick. 

“Lemme see that face of yours pretty boy.” Bucky said softly, thumbing the head on the next upward stroke. “I gotta see ya.” 

“Buckkkk….” Steve dragged out with more huffs, still hiding behind his elbow… the other grasping at his dark blue bedsheets. 

“C’mon Stevie baby… sweet thing.. Lemme see you.” Bucky said, slowing down to help Steve focus down from his near climax, gripping the base of his dick almost where those soft baby blonde public hairs were…. They were already clumped together due to the amount of pre-cum Steve was leaking all over the place. 

Bucky leaned down to leave some more hickeys on Steve’s exposed hip bones… leaving a dark purple red mark behind as he went. 

Steve felt the loss and glared at Bucky for stopping. “Stop teasin’ jerk.” 

“Hey there.” Bucky said, grinning, still stroking Steve’s dick slowly. “I don’t know why I call you sweet when you've done nothin but spit venom since I put my hands on you Steve…. Maybe I should stop and let you just lay there.” 

Steve scoffed and looked away, kicking out with his foot, “You tease too much… on my birthday and everything.” 

Bucky grabbed his foot and kissed the ankle which made Steve blush something fierce.

“Okay baby.” Bucky said, “I’ll stop….. if you keep looking at me like that.” 

Steve groaned… He really wanted Bucky’s clever fingers and even more clever mouth to continue but it was embarrassing to look at him. 

He continued to look away contemplating his options before looking sharply at Bucky. “OW!” 

Bucky licked the bite that he bit into Steve’s inner thigh in an apology but his eyes didn't mean it in the slightest. “Don’t be cross… I needed to get your attention.” 

Steve rolled his eyes and then groaned low and slow when Bucky went back to practically savoring his dick with deliberate licking and sucking like it was his last meal. 

Bucky looked up to see Steve positively wrecked… panting, red, and his eyes half-lidded but still looking at Bucky like it was his sole purpose in life and a challenge he wanted nothing more then to absolutely crush. 

Bucky moaned low in his throat… He was close to coming himself but Steve came first. 

He took a second, making sure that Steve was still looking… He stuck his tongue out… flashing that piercings and just slowly did one lick after the other… taking his goddamn sweet ass time. 

He sucked on one finger for a hot second, getting it nice and wet and needing to taste Steve even more. He then used that same spit-coated finger to trace Steve’s rim… not penetrating, as much as Steve would want him to, but simply tracing circles back and forth. 

Steve groaned at the contact… shifting between pulling away from Bucky and grinding towards him… the pressure feeling so damn good. 

Steve felt his orgasm just building slowly and he inched towards Bucky’s head to just pull on the strands… They both moaned at the contact… Steve loving being able to hold him down and fuck into Bucky’s mouth… loving that piercing and loving that feeling that made his toes curls and his thighs tighten around Bucky’s head. 

Steve made little gasping noise that made Bucky positively glow “Mmmmm… mmm… yea-yeah… there. Theretherethere... Mmmhhhmmmmm… Ohhh God… Buck. Plleasepleasepleas- Ahhhh AHHHH. ” 

“Mmmmm yeah. .. That’s it baby… C’mon now… just a little more… it's gonna feel so damn good when you come for me…. You gonna mark me up so good… mark me as yours baby boy… my sweet baby.” 

“Oh GoD. Buc-”

He tried his hardest to keep his eyes on Bucky but his orgasm washed over him and he arched his back off the bed, closing his eyes in defeat, shuddering at how good it felt. Like his own personal firework show just behind his eyelids. 

He took little gasping breaths… completely overwhelmed by how great it felt… tears leaking out of the side of his eyes. 

He peeked a look down at Bucky who was painted so prettily with his cum. Most of it was in his mouth but some of it had dribbled down his chin as he licked his bruised lips…. His hair was pulled in a million directions and that was all Steve. 

Steve nearly came again at the site but it was way too soon so he just groaned low in his throat as the image seared itself into his gooey brain. 

Bucky used his finger to clean up the mess, releasing his finger with a pop. “Mmmm. Sweet.” 

Steve threw one of his pillows at Bucky’s head. “Idiot.” 

“I love you.” 

Steve blushed, throwing another pillow over his head. 

Bucky chuckled to himself… He understood why Steve wanted to hide away. 

He grabbed a towel and headed toward the bathroom on shaky legs… He wanted Steve to look at him but that much attention was a little too much for him to handle. 

He could still see those blues eyes clouded over with lust staring deeply into him… He was addicted to that look and the lil huffs of breath he had left Steve in. Gasping for more. 

“Where- where are you-?” Steve managed to get out behind his pillow… still nervous and blushing. 

“Shower.” Bucky said nonchalantly, flipping the towel over his shoulder, “Unlike someone I don't like feeling my jeans stick to my legs.” 

Steve lowered his pillow to look at Bucky, his eyes nothing both smoldering as he stared adamantly at the low cut of his jeans… the front being absolutely soaked with a growing wet spot.   
He had done that. He made Bucky come in his pants without touching him. 

“You- you ah-” Steve started, unable to look away. 

Bucky had half a mind to say fuck his jeans and jump right back into bed with Steve… especially Steve looking like he was thoroughly fucked…. His pupils blown… hickeys everywhere and that fine blush traveling down his face and chest.

“Of course. How could I not with you looking like that?” 

Steve was then hyper aware of how expose he was while Bucky still had his jeans on and blushed further at Bucky’s assessment. 

“You’ve seen me naked before.” 

“Yes. But I haven't seen you like *that*.” Bucky reiterated. “The real version never amounts to anything I could dream of....” 

“You having sex dreams about me Barnes?” Steve teased. 

“Uhhh… yeah.” Bucky confessed honestly, “You don’t even know the amount of times I had to hide my sheets from my Ma until I could wash em.” 

“You dog.” Steve said, unable to come up with a valid response… He had done the same…. In fact there was a load of sheets in the washer rn. He was in no position to judge. 

Bucky shrugged, “You’re really hot stuff. Can't help it if I like what I see. Teenage hormones and all that. You wanna join me” 

Steve just sighed like it was such a hard decision to make… seeing Bucky fully naked… , making grabby hands at Bucky. 

Bucky hauled him up and then shifted his hands so that Steve could be carried bridal style, one hand supporting Steve’s knobby knees and the wrapped around his waist. 

Steve complied, wrapping his hands around Bucky’s neck. “I’ll wash your back if you wash mine, sailor.” 

“You act as if I weren't already gonna put my hands on ya.” Bucky said with a smirk. 

“Well, sometimes I gotta set the standard… your hands are just as bad as you.” 

Bucky crossed the threshold into the bathroom, juggling Steve’s weight as best as he could, “What! I would never! Best behavior I promise. Not my fault these things have a mind of their own.” 

Steve just leaned over and bit Bucky’s earlobe… the metal of the piercing tasting familiar and comforting. 

Bucky rolled his eyes, “And you say I'm bad.” 

He placed Steve on the toilet and prepared to shimmy out of his jeans. 

Steve stopped him with a hand on his waist and a look, “Why don’t you give me a little show first?”

Bucky huffed, “You’re insufferable.” 

“I’m admiring the view!” 

Bucky slowly removed his belt, keeping himself an arm's distance from Steve… but Steve pulled him in by his belt loops, pressing a kiss to his left hip bone. 

Bucky popped the button and slowly pulled down the zipper, showing Steve how utterly sticky it was. “Ugh. Remind me to take my pants off first before we do anything.” 

“Maybe I like you with your pants on.” Steve said mischievously, looking up at Bucky through hooded eyes… using his hands to climb up Bucky’s chest, feeling every ridge and raised scar but also the muscle just lingering below the surface. 

Bucky used one knee to fall towards Steve, sticking that knee right in-between Steve’s open legs. He cupped his Face… right where those cheekbones poked out and staring into those wonderful blue eyes. “You’ll be the Death of me Rogers.” 

He leaned down to kiss him slow and sweet and it stoked up the fire in Steve’s center that was reserved solely for feelings about Bucky. 

Steve felt himself rise into the kiss, trying to match Bucky’s tempo and go even faster but Bucky pulled away… letting Steve’s lip stretch between them before letting go. 

Steve pouted. 

“I gotta continue with your show right?” Bucky said with a smirk. “Can’t keep my audience waiting.” 

Steve groaned, removing his hands to place them on his stomach, “You’re such a tease Bucky Barnes.” 

“I’m giving you what you wanted!” 

He grabbed the edges of his jeans and shimmied out of them until he could let go and step out of them…. He did a spin, sticking his butt out a little. 

Steve laughed. 

Bucky was then left with his pair of black cotton underwear and he grimaced at the sticky feeling. “Never again Rogers. You hear me? All clothing firmly off.” 

He started to peel them off his body… wincing when it got caught amongst his thigh hair. It was like trying to get out of a wetsuit. 

Steve on the other hand was thoroughly enjoying the show. He was starved for those long awaited details… his imagination could only get him so far when he drew Bucky… but now… He savored the tan lines… the firmness of Bucky’s calves and thighs from running cross country… the way his dick looked in Steve’s bathroom lighting. He now fully understood why Michelangelo had sculpted David… He wanted to immortalize this beauty forever… to display softness in impenetrable stone. That was a gift. 

“You’re so beautiful.” Steve said in awe… beautiful didn’t even sound right enough but that was all he had. 

“I bet you say that to all the naked guys.” Bucky said, cockier than ever but blushing at the sincerity of the compliment… especially since it came from Steve. 

“Well.. I’ve never had a naked guy in my bathroom before so I wouldn't know…” Steve said, dragging his finger in circles on the countertop… crossing his legs and looking slyly back at Bucky… thoroughly appreciating the view. 

“You better not have punk.” Bucky said mock-seriously. “I’m the only one who gets to be naked around here.” 

Steve just laughed. “You wanna shower already or not?” 

Bucky elbowed Steve on his way to the glass door …. Steve rubbed the spot with a glare. 

“The water better not be freezing or I swear to-” Steve started before stepping in, “JeSUS CHRIST YOU ASSHOLE.” 

Bucky laughed, “It’s not even that bad Steve. You're such a baby.” 

He splashed a large handful of ice-cold water in Steve’s face which got him sputtering out insults, “I’m not a fucking wall of eternal flame like some asshole I know… some of us like to fucking enjoy the shower without freezing to fucking death.” 

Bucky dunked his head under the spray laughing while Steve pressed himself as far as possible into the farthest wall possible. “Who’s fault do you think it is that I have to take cold showers every morning before class?? I took so damn many that I got used to ‘em.” 

He shook his head like a dog while Steve hissed like a cat. “C’mon Steve… I’ll let you wash my hair.” 

They moved positions and Steve rapidly flipped the shower to the hot side,grabbing the shampoo. “You’re terrible.” 

Steve motioned for Bucky to duck down a little and he started to rub in the shampoo… using his blunt nails to scratch his way through Bucky’s scalp. 

The shampoo smelled like sandalwood and tea tree oil and Steve formed lil Mohawk spikes, laughing at how ridiculous Bucky looked. 

Bucky placed his hands on the shower wall behind Steve and Steve was extremely aware of that damn height difference with Bucky’s beautiful blue eyes staring directly and deeply at him. 

“Hey there.” 

“Hey yourself.” Steve replied innocently, resting his arms on Bucky’s shoulders. 

“Fancy meeting you here.” Bucky said coyly, his eyes traveling all over Steve’s face… noticing the slight hitch in Steve’s breath and the way his blush spanned across his freckles. 

“Well, I did invite you.” Steve replied with a grin. 

“Don’t get Smart.” Bucky said with a huff, “I’m trying to be romantic.” 

Steve just smiled and kissed Bucky on his nose. “I appreciate the effort Mr. Barnes.” 

“How ‘bout you show me exactly how appreciative you are?” 

Steve rolled his eyes, curling his hand in Bucky’s hair and nipping his lower lip before kissing him deeply, loving how that piercing felt. His other hand was marveling at the solidness of Bucky’s muscles and how different they felt under the spray of the water. 

Steve felt himself become lightheaded and he swayed a little on his feet. 

Bucky opened his eyes and caught Steve in time before he fell. “Woah, there soldier. Maybe we should take this somewhere else instead?” 

Steve’s eyes were glassy and he blinked a couple of times to regain consciousness. He felt under his nose and frowned when he saw blood. “Dammit.” 

“You know the drill.” Bucky quickly washed out his hair and his body with the spuds. He bent Steve towards the spray so the blood would run down the drain instead of all over the place. 

Steve blew his nose and pinched it. “It’s just embarrassing is all” 

“Aww… I don’t mind you going all anime on me Steve.” Bucky said, kissing the nape of his neck, “You think those embarrassing pervy thoughts again?”

Steve just rolled his eyes, “You’re terrible.”

Bucky grabbed the shampoo and started to wash Steve’s hair for him… as quick as he could so he could get Steve out of the too steamy shower. “Close your eyes and stop thinking about me naked” 

“You're not helping.” Steve replied but compelled, bending his head forward. 

Bucky just laughed, washing out the bubbles. “Can I trust you to wash yourself while I go get the ice packs?” 

“Not a kid Buck.” 

“I know baby.” Bucky said, wrapping a towel around his waist. “But I also know that you got hard from me just washing your hair.” 

Steve gasped in shock and indignation as Bucky giggled and ran out of the bathroom before Steve could throw a loofah at him. 

“You’re a Pervert Bucky Barnes!” Steve shouted after him. 

The blood had stop but it left that metallic taste in the back of his mouth. Steve garbled some water and hacked it back up… grimacing the whole time. 

He lathered up the soap, feeling amazing after the soap and sweat poured down the drain. He gingerly touched the bites and bruises… hard enough to feel the sting of them… it made him feel a certain type of way that's for sure. 

Bucky’s last words still permanent on his mind, Steve was half-tempted to jack off just to defy him… okay more than half-tempted…. Maybe just one stroke to ease off the pressure. 

Bucky’s tsk made Steve jumped and immediately go back to pretending to wash his thigh. 

“Your self-control is incredible.” Bucky said with an eyebrow raise and and a laugh. 

“I have no idea what you're talking about.” Steve said as straightforward as possible… the damn glass doors made it impossible to hide. 

Bucky just rolled his eyes and purposely placed the ice pack on the inside of Steve’s knees so he would buckle against Bucky. 

Steve gasped and prepared cursed Bucky out. “You-” 

Bucky silenced him with a kiss before he could say anything further. 

Steve’s fist released and he pulled Bucky’s hair, moaning into it. He would never get tired of kissing Bucky. 

Bucky broke it off… letting the spit strand break between them… panting a little and laughing, “If I knew kissing ya would shut ya up, I would have done it years ago.” 

Steve looked up at him sleepily, “Hmmm?” 

“C’mon... before you catch a cold.” 

Bucky helped Steve out of the shower, wrapping another giant fluffy towel around his waist and one around his head. Bucky managed to grab his rings and dirty clothes as they went. 

Bucky was smart enough to pull off the dirty duvet so they just go to sleep on the covers. 

It was late. 

There were still some stray fireworks going off in the distance… they would probably still be going til well past midnight. 

But the silence of the house was comforting… Steve flopped down backwards and Bucky ambled in after him… resting his head on Steve’s chest. 

“Happy Birthday Stevie.” He kissed Steve’s chest where his heart would be and replaced the ring on his finger. 

Where it belonged. 

Steve shoved his newly ringed hand back through Bucky’s hair. 

It was a new strange weight.   
But he could get used to it. 

☆  
“Steve.” 

“Mmm?” 

“Have you been drawing me all night?” 

“..... I plead the Fifth.” 

“.....” 

☆

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed this! I am working on the next chapter for the other sticky stucky fic that I'm working on but ofc I had to do something for Cap's b-day. 
> 
> I love reading your comments and kudos!


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